Application bay contaminants are nightmares Eddie Blanco knows all too well. A paint protection film (PPF) and vinyl wrap industry veteran of 18 years, Blanco was fed up with fighting for clean installations. He started brainstorming solutions in January 2022.
The Wrap Shirt
“I’m a very particular wrapper,” Blanco says. “I like to keep projects clean for clients. You think you can clean everything, but there’s always [debris] flying around … I have industry friends that I help out. That motivated me to pursue a solution. Not just for me, but for my friends that could use one.”
Blanco set out to create a shirt built for him and his fellow wrappers; a line of defense against contaminants that trap themselves between the vehicle and the film during an application. He researched fabrics and materials, and found a textile manufacturer that could accommodate his specifications and goals.
Just a few months after conceptualizing the idea, Blanco founded The Wrap Shirt in March 2022. The end result was a lint-free, anti-static shirt constructed with polyester and carbon fiber. The installer-tailored shirt was ready for production. A year later, multiple variations of the shirt are for sale.
“I was wrapping, and I’m like, ‘The shirt is meant for wrapping, so I’ll call it The Wrap Shirt,’” Blanco says of the product’s name.
Helping the Industry
“The shirt will constantly evolve as time goes by,” Blanco says. “It’s something fun to create. I use it as an installer. I try to make it functional for myself—fashionable and functional apparel unique to us installers and artists.”
Blanco, who also owns Alive Wraps in Corona, Calif., says the feedback has been positive.
“That’s been an amazing experience on its own—traveling and talking to people and relating to them,” he says. “Instead of talking about just a wrap, now we’re talking about tools. It leads to conversations about the future of the industry. I’m always thinking about the future of the wrap, PPF and printing industry.”
Blanco adds, “The whole purpose was to share this with everyone, not just myself. It’s a little piece of myself and the passion I have for the industry.”
Editor’s Note: How do you battle contaminants—dirt, lint, dust and debris—in your installation bay? Stay tuned for WINDOW FILM magazine’s March/April 2023 issue for more coverage of this topic. And keep up with the PPF, ceramic coating and wrap world on the go by following our Instagram—Windowfilmmag. I look forward to connecting with you!
